Common Fisheries Policy: conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources

2006/0190(CNS)

PURPOSE: to amend Regulation 2371/2002/EC on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy.

LEGISLATIVE ACT:  Council Regulation (EC) no 865/2007 amending Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy.

BACKGROUND: management of the EU’s fishing capacity in set out in Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002. However, in the framework of the political agreement reached on the adoption of the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) for the period 2007-20013, the Council decided to modify the provisions applying to the management of fishing fleet capacity in order to take account of experience gained.

CONTENT: the purpose of this Regulation, therefore, is to amend Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy in order to grant a limited increase in tonnage to new or existing vessels. The main objective of the amendment is to improve safety, hygiene, working conditions and product quality on board – on condition that it does not increase the vessels’ ability to catch fish. Priority will be given to small scale coastal fisheries as specified in the Regulation establishing the EFF. Bearing the above in mind, the main provisions of the Regulation can be summarised as follows:

Adjustment of fishing capacity: previously, all tonnage withdrawn with public aid as of 1 January 2007 was to be permanently withdrawn. Thus, aid to improve safety on board, working conditions, hygiene and product quality was to be limited to work on the superstructure of vessels over five years old. The amended Regulation, however, allows Member States to create a 'GT bank', whereby up to 4% of the tonnage withdrawn with public aid may be reallocated to vessels of any age (new or existing) to cover these specific types of modernisation work, whether above or below deck.

 The 'entry-exit' scheme and overall capacity adjustment: previously, it was not possible to grant public aid for the replacement or renewal of engines. The modification will allow Member States to provide aid for engine renewal on condition that the new engine has at least 20% less power than the one which it replaces, and that this reduction in power is permanently deducted from the reference level of the fleet (i.e. constitutes a permanent reduction in the capacity of the fleet of the Member State concerned).

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 27 July 2007.